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User blog:Son of Andross/Wizard of Oz references in Jumanji series
Greetings, I am the Son of Andross (not really), a mega Jumanji fan and internet blogger. Something that has come to my attention when working on the Jumanji Wiki is that there are a large amount of references, nods and tie-ins to the World of Oz works of L.Frank.Baum. Due to the popularity of the 1939 film adaption of the Wizard of Oz, films have been infused by it for nearly a century and therefore have landed sly references in several pop culture and media which are not too hard to notice. Blurred reality A common fan theory is that the stern hunter Van Pelt in the 1995 film serves as an allegory for Alan's difficult relationship with his overly serious father Sam. The most obvious clue being that Van Pelt and Sam Parrish are dual performed by Jonathan Hyde. This trait of mirrored space-time continuum counterparts was all previously used (started?) in the popular 1939 film and subsequent adaptations of Oz. The instance of a dual performance from the film antagonist and supporting character from the normal world reflects these similarities. Even the works of J.M.Barrie used these tropes, not to mention that Jumanji film star Robin Williams appeared in the 1991 film, Hook, while Tim Curry provided the Emmy winning performance of Captain Hook in Peter Pan & the Pirates. Somewhere over the rainbow Jumanji's exciting but at the same time very dangerous alternative dimension can draw comparisons with the World of Oz. Both realms are entered by extraordinary means: Sucked into a Tornado emitted from the game's crystal ball to enter the realm of Jumanji, like Dorothy Gale being transported to Oz inside her house when sucked into a Tornado. Elements like hostile plants, talking anthropomorphic animals or supernatural / folklore are used in both franchises. Fly my pretties, fly Antagonistic Simians are prominent in the jungles of Jumanji, like Oz. There are even Flying Monkeys in the animated series, akin to the Winged Monkeys that audiences are familiar with from the 1939 film. *The Monkey gang in the 1995 film even stop their rampage to watch ironic footage of the 1939 film, where Dorothy's group are ambushed and she is captured by Winged Monkeys, influencing the Jumanji Monkey's behaviour. A brain, A heart Inanimate objects in real life have been brought to life in both Oz and Jumanji. Characters from L.Frank.Baum's stories and adaptations like walking, talking Scarecrows and Tin Men may have inspired the instance of Professor J.S. Heinrich Ibsen creating mechanical creations or even the likes of Peter Shepherd drawing and consequently bringing Mud Boy and his sister to life. The nerve Lions are prominent cats in the works of both Oz and Jumanji. But while the notable Lion of Dorothy's company is cowardly and friendly, the behaviour of Jumanji Lions are closer to their real world counterparts or even more stylised. Not in Kansas anymore The character of Dorothy "Dottie" McGrail is an animated series equivalent to Amelia Earhart, but several instances of her being a reference to Oz protagonist Dorothy Gale are easy for my eye to see. *The shared name of Dorothy. The redhead's surname McGrail is a spin on Gale. *These women seeking something more out of a mundane life, somewhere over the rainbow, way up high in the sky. *While wishing to discover more than life has to offer, Dorothy (Gale & McGrail) makes a crash landing in a parallel world that exceeds her expectations after entering a high altitude in the sky. Category:Blog posts